The use of automatic sprinkler systems is becoming more and more widespread. Such systems save water by directing it exactly where it is needed and at the time of day when evaporative losses can be minimized, and save labor by eliminating the need to move hoses. However, such systems tend to have a high parts-count, including many parts which are vulnerable to damage from lawn mowing machinery, overgrown grass and other hazards. When an automatic sprinkler system breaks down the entire labor savings may be lost, due to the time and cost of repairing the system. The water savings may also be lost, if leakage results from a broken system.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a sprinkler head protector that can be added to a variety of different existing sprinkler systems to protect the sprinkler heads. The sprinkler head protector must be able to prevent damage to the sprinkler head caused by an inadvertent blow from a lawn mower blade, or damage from the wheel of a mower. The sprinkler head protector must be designed to absorb the impact of any blow that could otherwise render the sprinkler head inoperative. The sprinkler head protector should also reduce or eliminate the growth of grass in the immediate area of the sprinkler head, which may prevent the proper operation of the sprinkler.